Federal investigators have charged 14 people in connection with a Staten Island gambling ring, including at least one active NYPD detective and two city firefighters. In addition to the three active duty public officers, a retired NYPD cop and firefighter were also arrested.
Among those arrested were detective Richard Palase, who is assigned to the Criminal Justice Bureau in Brooklyn, and firefighter Michael Bergen—they were charged with conspiracy to operate an illegal card game at on Arthur Kill Road. Firefighter Gerald parsons was charged with working as a dealer at card games held at a parlor on Victory Boulevard. There were at least four gambling parlors scattered around the borough.
Also arrested were retired NYPD cop Ralph Mastrantonio and Bergen's father, James, who is a retired firefighter. Authorities said they didn't believe the ring was connected to organized crime; they also wouldn't say how much money was being earned by the operation, but one source told SILive: "My sense is that it was a lot of money. Some of the places were operating almost every night."
One member of NYPD message board Thee Rant summed it up like this: "Sh!t...it never ends. Is the Academy giving lessons on how to shoot your foot? I ask because We're pretty fvcking good at it."
